Reel



Aug, 31, 1937. w. F. KNEIBUSCH REEL Filed Oct. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Shem; l

INVENTOR kg; 72%" i." fivzaz/fic/r M ATTORNE s.

Au 31, 1937. w BUSCH 2,091,285

REEL

Filed Oct. 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR ML 727? Z? M55050 Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs I am Walter F. Knelmsch, Cleveland, Ohio, auignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Delaware Application October 17, 1983, Serial No. 693,955

7 Claims. ((71. 18-8) This invention relates to improvements in reels for continuous processing machines in which threads or the like, such as artificial silk threads, are treated. More particularly, the invention relates to animproved form of reel bar which supports a thread in such manner that maximum contact of the thread with liquid reagents is secured while employing a minimum number of bars to fill up the reel surface. The invention aims to provide a reel having a surface filled up by a minimum number of bars of maximum permissible width while providing relatively narrow ridges on the surfaces of the bars to serve as thread-supporting elements which contact with the threads over a length less than the width of the bars and thus admit liquid reagents to all surfaces of the thread. I I

In the manufacture of artificial silk by the viscose, cuprammonium or other wet process, using a continuous spinning machine such as that described in application Serial No. 651,404, filed January 12, 1933, the thread is formed in a'spin bath from a viscous mass and is then led to a series of reels, on each of which it issublected to u an operation required to produce the thread in 1 finished form. Thus, the thread is subjected to 1 washing, desulfurizing, bleaching, scouring, drying, and other operations, each of which is performed while the thread is, in effect, temporarily stored on one of these reels. The thread is caused to wind along the reel in a more or less helical path from-one end to the other and is sprayed or showered with the appropriate liquid while it is thus travelling along the reel. This continues until the thread reaches the dry reel and is removed to a packaging device.

The form of reel used to cause this helical advance of the thread is described at length in application Serial No. 652,089, filed January 16, 1933 and consists of a shaft on which two cage members are mounted, each cage member including a spider and longitudinally extending bars which lie between the bars of the other member and occupy approximately the same cylindrical space. One set of bars rotates concentrically with the shaft but the other set of bars is mounted so as to rotate about an axis offset from the axis of the shaft and the other cage member. It is also slightly tilted or askew with respect to 5othe axis of the shaft. The action of the reel is to bring the bars of the respective cage members alternately radially outward with respect to the adjacent bars of the other cage member and thus alternately carry the turns of thread which are wound on the reel. At the same time, due

to the canted or askew relation of the axis of rotation of the two cage members, the thread is transferred by one set ofbars, as they recede toward the center of the reel, to the other set at a point a little forward of the previous position of the thread. As a result, the thread is constantly advanced axially along the reel in an approximately helical path.

In its broadest conception,- the invention comprises a reel bar presenting to the thread being wound on the reel, of which the bar is a part, a plurality of narrow surfaces which adequately support the thread while leaving spaces between the points of support where wash liquor can flow around the thread and wash up under it so as to bring about thorough contact and complete chemical and/or physical action. In a more specific aspect, the invention may be embodied in a barwhich has raised longitudinal edges and a depressed center so that the thread bridges across from one raised edge to another and is free of contact with the bar for-'a major part of the width of such bar.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although it will be understood that various modifications and adaptations of the structure shown may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In said annexed drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section through a reel and housing, said reel embodying the improved bar; 7

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the reel and the casing; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a reel cage member showing the improved form of bar. Referring to Fig. lot the drawings, a casing 4 houses a reel 5, a reagent distributor 6 and transfer mechanism 42. The reel rotates about axis 8 and carries an artificial silk thread on its periphery. The reagent distributor 6 discharges a chemical reagent or water on the reel and thread and thus effects the particular step in the preparation of the thread which is carried out on the given reel. When the thread end reaches the end of the reel, it is severed by the transfer mechanism 42 which is equipped with cutting blades for cutting the thread-to providea free end. The free end then is detached, with or without assistance from the transfer mechanism, and is brought to the next succeeding reel. The thread then commences winding along the second reel andis subjected thereon to another treatment and this procedure is continued from reel to reel until the thread is dried and brought to the packaging device.

As may be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, these cage members 3 and II consist of bars II and I! which 5 are mounted on spiders l3 and I4. In the present embodiment, the bars and supporting spider are shown integral but the bars may also be made separate and placed in suitable holders attached to the spiders. The bars and spiders are composed of any suitable material having the required strength and which is neither destroyed by the reagents used for washing the thread nor decomposed thereby to such an extent as to contaminate the liquids and, consequently, deleteriously aifect the thread. It is found that baked clay, molded glass, and various ceramic materials may be used. A metallic structure may also be employed provided the same is covered with a vitreous coating, such as glass, in order to insulate the metal from contact with the chemicals present.

The reel as a whole is supported on, and rotates about, a shaft I! which may also carry other reels, such as la, in horizontal alignment and in position to subject threadv carrier. thereon to the same treatment. One of the cage members, that designated II, is mounted concentrically about the shaft ll so as to rotate therewith. Thus, the cage member I4 is mounted on a bushing I! by means of cement ll, the bushing being locked to the shaft II by means of a set screw I. fitting into a groove 2| in the shaft. A sealing composition 22 is filled in over the set screw in order to protect the metal against corrosion by the chemical wash which may be present.

The other cage member 9 is not mounted directly on the main shaft but rotates about a sleeve 23 which is non-rotatably held by a bakelite nut 24 threadably engaging with the sleeve or bonded thereto. This nut is, in turn, held against rotation by a plate 25 attached to the casing 4. The cage member 9 is cemented by a layer of cement 26 to a bearing 21, the bearing rotating on the fixed sleeve 23. It will be observed that the sleeve 23 is eccentrically positioned around the shaft It, thus radially offsetting the cage member 9 with respect to the cage member ID. The outer surface of the sleeve 23 is also askew with respect to the cage member Ill and the axis of the shaft I5, this canting being preferably about Thus, the bars of this cage member 3 are both canted and askew with relation to the bars of' the other cage member.

The shaft I5 is driven through stub shaft 23, to which it is connected by tongue and groove means and a pin 29, this shaft being, in turn, driven through a coupling 3| which may beattached to another reel shaft or directly to a gear transmission from the power source. The stub shaft and the coupling are mounted on the end cover 32 of the casing 4 by means of bolts 33 and appurtenant parts.

Access of the corrosive liquids to the metal shafts is prevented by means of the shaft housing 34, of bakelite or other resistant material and packing 35, as well as by stumng boxes 33. The plane of contact between the hubs 31 and 38 of the two cage members 9 and II respectively presents a problem in this regard, since, due to the eccentricity between the two members, the hubs do not coincide. To prevent access of corrosive liquid to the metal parts of the structure at this point and to retain oil between the mov- 75 ing surfaces for purposes of lubrication, a fiexible boot 33 is provided which snugly engages each hub and maintains a tight seal, due to its flexibility, despite relative radial movement of, the P rts.

In the operation of the reel to wind thread, the shaft II is driven through the shaft 23 and associated coupling and, in turn, drives cage members IQ of as many reels as may be mounted on the same shaft. The cage members ll, being pinned to the shaft, rotate therewith and themselves drive the other cage members 9 through the bars of the respective members which intermesh, as may be seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Due to the short length of the reel, the boot 3! effectively dampens any back-lash between the bars. The two cage members thus rotate together and an artificial silk thread led onto the surface of the reel from a spin bath commences to wind helically along the reel. This is brought about by the combined effect of the offset and canted relation of the cage members.

Thus, the bars I I carry the thread for that portion of a revolution during which they are in outermost position, as at the bottom of the reel as seen in Fig. 1, and transfer it to the bars l2 when they recede inwardly, as at the top of the reel, in the same view.- This action is due to the offset mounting of the two cage members. At the same time, the turns of thread, as they are transferred from one set of bars to the other, are advanced slightly in an axial direction due to the canting of the axis of rotation of cage member 9 with respect to cage member II. The thread is gradually wound along the surface of the reel in an approximately helical path by this means. As the thread advances, it is showered with the desired treating liquid from the distributor 6, the liquid being collected in the trough 4|, constituted by the bottom part of the casing 4, and returned through the manifold 4| to the distributor 6 for recirculation.

When the thread has reached the end of the reel, itis severed by, the transfer device 42 which carries member 43 rotatable independently of the reel and having cutting blades 44 which sever the thread when the turns have reached the plane of a the member 43. This severed end then runs off the reel, being aided by windage of the member 43 to overcome the clinging tendency of the' thread, and drops by gravity, with or without assistance, to the next lower reel where it again commences to wind in the same fashion but in the reverse direction. Another bath may be applied to the thread on this reel and so on for as many reels as may be required to finish the thread.

It will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings that the fewer the number of bars II and I! which are required to fill up the surface of a reel, the less expensive the reel will be to manufacture, this consideration assuming importance when it is considered that thousands of reels are necessary in a plant of even moderate size, since each running thread produces only a few pounds of silk a day. Enlarging the widthof the bars will, of course, lessen the number necessary to fill out the periphery of the reel and this may be done within the limits imposed by the width of the corresponding space between bars necessary to allow for relative radial movement between them. The width of the spaces between bars should not greatly exceed 1%" where the thread is being wound in turns which are about it" apart.

10 bars while yet preserving the maximum width which is required in order to reduce the number of bars necessary to fill up the reel surface. This is done by hollowing out the thread-supporting surface of the bar longitudinally or, in other 5 words, providing a trough 45 in each blade. The

35 face of the bar.

thread is then supported on ridges or narrow surfaces 45 which are shown as being coincident with the longitudinal edges of the bar but, obviously, may be otherwise positioned. The turnsof thread are supported by these narrow surfaces and the length of thread which is thus in contact with the bars becomes almost negligible. The under surface of the thread is not shielded from contact with the liquid reagent and, furthermore, the liquid will run down into the trough 45 to wash the under surface of the thread and permit free circulation of the liquid around the thread.

The shape of the bars may be variously modi- O fied in line with the disclosed principle and without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, more than two longitudinal ridges may be provided and more than one trough. Also, the

ridges may be variously positioned on the sur- Ordinarily, however, the structure shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings will be employed since the unsupported span of thread between bars must not exceed the prescribed maximum imposed by the considerations discussed above and this requires that the supporting ridges of the bars be located as near the edges of the bars as possible. The narrow surfaces supporting the thread may, however, be separated by a slot running entirely through the bar in place of the troughs 45, provided the length of the unsupported span of thread is not increased.

In order to prevent the thread from overrunning the delivery end of the reel, the bars are also provided with shoulders 41 which retain the thread and prevent it from winding around the shaft of the reel.

The cage members illustrated in Fig. 3 consist of bars and a spider integrally formed, although the structure may be constituted by a spider and bar-supporting elements in which the individual bars are subsequently mounted. The

cage may be made of ceramic materials, such as baked clay, molded glass, or of metal coated with some material, such as glass, which will protect the metal from corrosion by the reagents used in treating artificial 811]! thread. I: desired, however, any other suitable material or materials may be employed in lieu thereof.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention. I

What is claimed is:

1. A reel for the processing of thread or the like comprising a shaft, a sleeve disposed about said shaft, a first spider loosely mounted upon said sleeve, 9. second spider mounted upon said shaft to rotate therewith, and, integral with said spiders, intermeshing bars disposed to form the periphery of said reel, each of said bars being trough-shaped in cross-section.

2. A cage member for a processing reel comprising a sleeve adapted to encompass a shaft or the like, a spider extending radially from said sleeve, and, integral with said spider, a plurality of longitudinally extending bars having troughshaped depressions therein.

3. A reel for the processing of thread or the like comprising a shaft, a first set of rigidly mounted longitudinally extending bars disposed about and at a distance from said shaft, a second set of rigidly mounted, longitudinally extending bars disposed about and at a distance from said shaft, and means operatively 'connecting said shaft and said first and second sets of rigidly mounted, longitudinally extending bars, each of said bars having a trough-shaped depression formed therein.

4. A reel for the processing of thread or the like comprising a shaft, a plurality of interdigitating sets of rigidly mounted, longitudinally extending, trough-shaped bars disposed about and at-a distance from said shaft to form the periphery of said reel, and means operatively connecting said shaft and said plurality of interdigitating sets of rigidly mounted, longitudinally extending, trough-shaped bars.

5. A reel for the processing of thread or the extending bar members having trough-shaped depressions therein.

WALTER, F. KNEBUSQH. 

